The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is planning to conduct a prescribed burn on 2,500 acres along the shoreline of Lake Okeechobee between the Kissimmee River and Buckhead Ridge Canal.

The prescribed burn to improve fish and wildlife habitat is scheduled for Wednesday, March 15, weather permitting.

To help protect public health and safety, the FWC plans to conduct the prescribed burn under weather conditions that minimize smoke impacts to nearby towns and roads. Access to the navigational trails through the marsh, including Buckhead Ridge Canal, may be limited temporarily during the burn for safety reasons.

Application of prescribed burning is part of an integrated management approach on Lake Okeechobee, Florida’s largest lake. The FWC manages Lake Okeechobee in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Florida Water Management District and Audubon Florida.

Prescribed burning is a safe way to apply natural processes, ensure ecosystem health and reduce the threat of wildfire. Ecologically responsible prescribed burns help improve habitat for fish, waterfowl, wading birds, the Everglades Snail Kite  and other wildlife populations.

For more information, contact the FWC’s Okeechobee Field Office at 863-462-5190 or go to FloridaInvasives.org/Okeechobee.

Learn about prescribed fire   by going to MyFWC.com, clicking on “Wildlife & Habitats” and then “Prescribed Fire.” On that page, you can find information about how prescribed burns benefit wildlife and people.